The energetic Akropolis Reed Quintet to appear on the Downtown Concert Series stage in May

Hailed for their “infectious energy and intensity”, the Akropolis Reed Quintet takes listeners on extraordinary musical adventures. Akropolis delivers passionate, energized, and unforgettable experiences and will be performing at the historic St. Peter’s Church in downtown Freehold on Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 PM.

Since being established in 2009 at the University of Michigan, Akropolis has captivated audiences throughout the United States with their ability to play modern compositions as well as their unique and refreshing arrangements of classical music. The unusual combination of saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, and bassoon requires that much of their music is either newly-composed, or new arrangements of music composed for a different medium. That is taken not as a liability, but rather as a challenge for this group which has commissioned at least 25 new works from composers around the globe. They have been recognized for their talent and innovation with a gold medal from the Fischoff Competition, the 2015 Fischoff Educator Award and five national chamber music prizes including grand prize at the Plowman and MTNA competitions. Fanfare Magazine has accurately described Akropolis as “playing with imagination, infallible musicality, and huge vitality”.

On May 13, Akropolis will present a program called "Under the Influence”. They will perform classical music bearing a wide array of influences, from rock and electronic music to jazz, chant, and folk songs. Each work absorbs the characteristics of a different genre, style, or era, and then creates fresh, relevant music, reflecting upon the original and looking forward. Akropolis also explores their own influences as a reed quintet as they build their ensemble's repertoire and re-visit their personal and collective inspirations by which they have forged their genre- bending identity. This concert comes just after Akropolis released their third studio album, The Space Between Us, several weeks ago. It follows their two highly acclaimed albums, High Speed Run and Unraveled, which impressed listeners and critics alike with their dynamic sound and intense precision.

Tickets for individual concerts are $25 for adults and $10 for students 18 years and younger. St. Peter’s Church is located in downtown Freehold at 33 Throckmorton Street, Freehold, NJ. For additional information and to purchase tickets please visit our website at DowntownConcertSeries.org or call 732~431~8383.